Raven Born
by CallMeCherry
Summary: Mary Stanly has always been different from her Amity family. So what happens when she chooses Dauntless and joins in on the war that's raging?
1. Different

"I think your hair is beautiful, Mary. Here, lets add some flowers, hmm?" My sister braided my dark hair deftly adding flowers with her nimble fingers. "There, perfect." She turned me around and smiled at me. Her blue eyes, the complete opposite from my forest ones, looking down at me, shining. Those eyes that could see no evil, always finding the good in everything. She took my hand and led me from our living room to our dining room, which was really just square red pillows circled around a coffee table. "Mariah, this really isn't needed." I complained. She shushed me. "Nonsense, sit down?" It was not an order, it was a request. No one ever barks orders in Amity, that's not peaceful. I sat on the pillow, my yellow dress billowing around me as the air caught it. Mariah followed my lead and sat beside me. My mother and father, in all their yellow and red glory, came in from the kitchen holding a chocolate cake made espacially for me. My guilt grew heavier. My mother sat the cake in front of me. I smiled gently and whispered a thank you. "Happy birthday, Mary. Please, have a piece?" Again with the requests. I cut myself a piece and ate it silently.

"Are you feeling alright, Mary?" My father asked, cutting mother a piece and then himself. Mariah went last. I knew why he was asking, I was rarely ever behaved, or silent. My father joked that I should choose Dauntless.

He was _**only **_joking.

I considered it often.

I nodded. "Oh, I'm fine. Just nervous, I suppose." Today was the day we had the aptitude test. Tomorrow, was the Choosing Ceremony. My father patted my hand re-assuringly "You'll be fine, Mary. It's just a simulation." My mother agreed "It's not real, no matter how real it feels. Just keep at peace, Mary." I steeled myself from rolling my eyes. Rolling your eyes was a hostile gesture, the Amity are anything but hostile. Instead, I looked at my cake. I hated it here. My mood went unnoticed as my family picked up the dishes and watered the plants outside, because it was my birthday, I was exempt from chores. Finally, my mother walked us to the bus station. Our transportation to school in Abgenation. The bus pulled up, belching black smoke and smelling of burnt fumes. I cringed lightly, but mother and Mariah, forever unfazed by the bad, said happy goodbyes. Mariah stepped onto the greyhound and disappeared from view. I started to follow, but mother took my arm, looking me in the eye.

"Mary, I know you want Dauntless. So choose it. Do it for yourself. Do you understand? I'll come visit. Your sister, she's cut out for Amity. But you, you have fire. We all know what's going to pop up on your test." She kissed my forehead and smiled down at me. My siter and my mother looked exactly alike, sea eyes and golden hair, but I, with my raven black hair and my green eyes, have always looked more like my father. And yet, my mother was always my hero. I beamed up at her. "Thank you." I breathed. She loaded me on the bus and waved goodbye.

I found Mariah in the very back seat of the bus getting hassled by a Candor. I rolled my eyes, Mariah was too preoccupied to mind. I quickly made my way to them, ready to defend my sister. The Candor man was tall, with a black suit and a black tie.

"That's my seat Amity, and I don't like you sitting there." My sister apologized politely and moved seats. I sat down in it before he could. "Didn't you hear me, Amity? That's my seat." I looked blankly ahead.

"Mary, come along. There's no reason to argue." Mariah had a pleading look in her eyes. I stood, and looked directly in the Candor's eyes. "That wasn't for you." I hissed. He glared and sat down. I sat by Mariah, expecting her to scold me for not keeping the peace, but instead she smiled at me and said "I admire you, Mary." I gave her a dubious look. "Admire me?" She nodded "You've got fire." Instead of answering, I fixed my gaze on the scenery through the windows. When the bus finally stopped in front of the school, I had forgotten that the aptitude test existed. Sluggishly, I exited the bus and walked towards the school. If Mariah and I didn't hurry, we would be late to our first period. We made it just before the bell, sitting in our desk before the teacher could notice us. Because of the test, our classes were cut short. The test would be held after lunch.

The day was uneventful, to say the least. Until after lunch. We were ushered in the cafeteria again, officials were calling out groups of ten to take the test in one of the many rooms that we weren't allowed in until now. My sister was called in before me. When she came back, she was smiling serenly.

"Let me guess, sister, Amity to the core?" I whispered. She gave me the slightest head nod and then sat down at the table.

"Mary Stanley!" Her eyes found mine "I'll be here when you get back, don't worry." She patted my hand and sent me torwards the official who had called my name, a bland Abgenation. She led me, along with another Amity girl down a hallway lined with doors. "Room ten, please." She opened the door for me. When I was fully in, the door shut behind me wih a thud. I looked up into the brown eyes of a pink haired Dauntless woman. She grinned down at me. "Hi, my name is Trisha. Go ahead and get comfortable in that chair over there." I did as instructed. The chair was sterile, and something you would find in a dentist's office. The room was a gigantic mirror. I looked nervously around, bouncing my foot as I watched Trisha prepare a few electrodes and attach them to my forehead, the last one, she put on hers. She handed me a tiny vile full of filmy liquid.

"What's this?" She shook her head.

"Don't ask questions. Just drink it, and you'll see."

I knocked it back and handed her the vile. I closed my eyes.


	2. Testing, Testing

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the cafeteria. The long tables were astoundingly empty, and not one official was in sight, but there was a voice.

"Choose." I looked in front of me. One the table were two baskets. One with cheese, one with a knife. My mother warned me of this, though she was not supposed to. I chose the knife without hesitation. The other basket disappeared. I knew what came next, but I dreaded it. A snarling dog shot through a door and landed a foot from me. He nashed his teeth, foaming at the mouth and growling low in his throat. His hackles were raised.

I slipped the knife behind my back.

I did _not _want to kill this dog.

_"Just a simulation, Mary."_

_"No matter how real it feels,Mary." _

I reminded myself.

It was just a simulation, but still. I refused to harm this dog without it harming me first. I crouched, and snarled back. Looking directly in its eyes, I barked as best I could. We stood like that for a while, growling at eachother, each of us not wanting to break down. Until, through the door, a little girl in a white dress came. The dog, confused, swung around to look at her. I knew what he planned to do. I only had a moment to defend her. I ran, and jumped over the dog, skidding to a stop in front of the girl. Frustrated, the dog barked, the menace reverberating around the room. I did not cringe like I wanted to. I crouched again, hissing at him. He jumped, his hind legs acting like springs. I swung my knife and slit his throat. His blood splattered every where, and all over my dress.

_I will not cry. I will not cry. _

I stifled tears and squeezed my eyes shut to block out the image. The knife dropped down to the floor with a resounding clatter. I opened my eyes again, I was back in the testing room, except Trisha wasn't there. I knew what was happening. I walked into the hallway, except, it was a bus. I sighed. I had no problem with lying. No Candor for me, then. I laughed to myself. I was sitting in a bus seat. A tall man with a beard that touched his belt shoved a newspaper in my face. The headline read

**MURDERER: AT LARGE. **

I looked to the picture under it.

It was my father.

"Do you know this man?" I shook my head. "No."

" You're lying! You're lying!" He almost said it as a song.

"I'm not lying, and even if I was, you wouldn't be able to tell. " I glared at him a moment "I don't know that man."

"If you did, you could save me, don't you want to save me?" I looked in his eyes.

"It's a pity I don't know him, then." The scene melted, and I was back in the testing room. Trisha was standing over me.

"Dauntless!" She cried, then looked around guiltily, as if someone could hear her. I felt my mouth stretch. "You think?" Vigorously, she tore the electrodes from my head and hers. "Trust me, Dauntless it _is._" She helped me up from the chair and spun me around. "Funny, we don't get much Amity transfers. What with the peace and all that junk." She giggled, for a Dauntless she was surprisingly light hearted. She led me out of the door joyfully, practically yelling "See you tomorrow!" and even though I barely knew her, I knew I liked her. She was loud, I've never been able to be loud. Yelling, disrupts the peace. I bit my lip to hold back a scream. That, was for tomorrow. When I approached Mariah, she took my hand and led me back to the bus station. When we were out of ear shot, she squeeled. "_My _sister! A Dauntless. Oh, how exciting!" I giggled. "You don't know that I got Dauntless, Mariah." She stopped turning to face me. She raised an eyebrow. ''Oh, really. You're right, because you're so cut out for Abnegation." I mocked surprise.

"Mariah Stanly! Is that _sarcasm, _I hear?" She chuckled, racing me the rest of the way to the bus stop.


	3. Going Home

When we had arrived home, my mother was on the porch, playing her ukelele and singing softly. When she looked up and saw us coming down the path to our house, she smiled. My mother hugged us, kissing our foreheads, and herding us inside.

"Your father is cooking. Oh what a big day." She looked around as if someone might be listening, and then leaned in. "Mariah, did you get Amity?" Mariah squeeled and nodded, excited about her results. Mother turned to me. "Dauntless, Mary?"

"Yes." She beamed at me. "You'll be great as a Dauntless, honey. You're so brave." Mariah looked seriously at mother. "This morning, she nearly got in a fight with a Candor!" Mother's eyes widened in fear. "Why Mary?" I shrugged and adjusted my dress, which was not covered in blood like in my test. "He was bullying Mariah. You know she hates confrontation, I had to take up for her." My mother averted her eyes, she cast them to the floor. "Mary, you are still an Amity. We are known for peace...if the officials saw you...what would they say? About you, about our family?" I sighed. Right. Family reputation.

My father called us to eat, we made our way into the dining room, each of us taking our spots on the pillows. Father served us our plates, then made his own. I had an itching feeling he transferred from Abnegation, but whenever I asked, he changed the subject. I ate quickly and silently, praying that my father didn't ask about the test, but of course he did.

"Mariah, did you get Amity?" She fidgeted. Then nodded slightly. He grinned like a fool . "Good girl! And you, Mary." I looked him directly in the eye. As much as I loved my father, he didn't intimidate me like he did Mariah. I've always been sure of myself.

"Dauntless." I said, without skipping a beat. The room went deathly still. His fork hit his plate with the sound of metal hitting porclean. I looked down across the room, waiting for his reaction. My mother coughed uncomfortably, and Mariah looked at her hands in her lap.

"Mary, we always knew you were different, but..._Dauntless_?"

"I can't help the results, father."

He ran a hand roughly through his long black hair. His eyes pierced me. "You will pick Amity anyway?"

I laughed without humor. "You know what I'll pick." He sighed, then ate his food without another complaint. I nearly screamed. I wanted a _fight. _I put my plate in the sink and went to my room. I lay there, for a long while just thinking. I wanted Dauntless, I _needed _Dauntless. I was Dauntless.

The next morning, my mother woke me gently, telling me to dress in my best. My hair was a mess, I needed a shower. I un braided it and picked the crumpled flowers out, shaking away what I couldn't get out. I took a shower and dressed quickly, today wearing a loose red dress and re braiding my hair.

When I came out of my room, my mother and Mariah were sitting on the pillows in the living room, laughing. Mariah's long blonde hair was braided, too. My father was no where to be found. Mother stood, taking Mariah and I's hand. We walked to the bus stop together, and rode it to Abnegation. The building we walked into was not a building I'd ever been in before, or had seen on my way to school.

We were offered a spot on the elavator by a Abnegation woman, and as to not cause a disagreement by declining, we took the offer.

Of course we did.

Leaving Mariah, my mother and I, and an Erudite boy in the we arrived in the choosing room, the crowds were split into factions, three gigantic bowls were in a circle, with out leader Marcus in the middle. He gave the standard speech, and then began calling names out. Mariah went before me, and of course she chose Amity, spilling her blood over the bowl of water. When my name was called, I smiled.

Confindently, I walked to the middle of the circle. Marcus handed me the knife. I cut my palm, gritting my teeth and the sting it produced. Then, I walked to the burning coals, letting my blood fall into the flames and sizzle. A cheer erupted to my left, the Dauntless. My faction.

_My faction. _

I looked up to them, and joined their initiates.

I sighed a sigh of relief.


End file.
